Report shows majority of state water supplies meet standards

You may’ve noticed something extra in your water bill this month — the state’s annual report on the public water supply. Dennis Alt of the Department of Natural Resources says that report contained some good news. Alt says there was improved water quality throughout the state for the two-thousand and 47 public water regulate water supplies that serve two-and-a-half million people.

Alt says this report is very good considering some changes that were made. Alt says the compliance rate for water supplies went up from about 90-percent to 90-and-a-half percent. He says there were some new standards that went into effect, otherwise the compliance rate would’ve been around 93-percent.

Alt says even though some water supplies didn’t always meet the standards — it’s not a major source of concern. He says the standards mean there were one or more days where the water supplies exceeded the standards — and it does not mean they exceeded the standards all year long.

Alt says there are several reasons for the improvement in compliance. Alt says part of it is due to weather, which dictates how many contaminants are washed into the water. He attributes much of the improvement to better oversight by the water plant operators.

Alt says the state once again passed one important measure of water quality. He says there were no sicknesses or deaths attributed to regulated water supplies. Alt says coliform bacteria and nitrates continue to be the biggest source of problems in public water supplies. If you toss the report away, it’s available on the D-N-R’s website at:www.iowadnr.com/water/drinking/reports.html